Speak Life

[Guest guest]

"A human being thinks twice before saying anything."

 

-- Srila Prabhupada, The Second Morning Walk: April 19, 1973

 

 

 

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

 

A STORY ABOUT frogs that teaches an important lesson. A group of frogs

were travelling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep

pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how

deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as

dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of

the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to

stop, that they were as good as dead.

 

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying

and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as

hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop

the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog

explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging

him the entire time.

 

This story teaches two lessons. There is power of life and death in the

tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and

help them make it through the day. A destructive word to someone who is

down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say.

Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words ... it is

sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a

long way. So from this day forward, think before you speak.

 

-- Leadership Excellence Newsletter #6